1. Field of the Invention
The present invention concerns a powder compacting machine.
Such a compacting machine is presumably generally known; see, for example, the prospectus “The Powder Compacting/Granulating Machine RC 100×30 for Laboratory and Production.”
Although this is not intended to signify a restriction of the invention, such compacting machines according to this invention are preferably designed for small throughputs and thus for processing small batches of no more than about 2 kg.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A particular problem with such compacting machines designed for small-batch processing is the inevitable waste that remains in the compacting machine after the processing of the batch. In practice, the powder to be processed, settles in the compacting machine and does not pass into the usable discharge from the machine. If a different batch is to be processed in the next run, the compacting machine has to be taken apart and cleaned. The amount of residue lift in the compacting machine should therefore be as small as possible.
It is, therefore, a basic requirement that the compacting machine be easily accessible and easy to dismantle. This is achieved with some compacting machines by means of a so-called cantilevered bearing for the drive shafts. In these compacting machines, the compacting elements can be accessed from the front without the need to remove the drive shafts.
However, a serious disadvantage of the cantilevered bearing is the substantial bearing forces created by the lever action. These high bearing forces make design an onerous process and result in relatively high machine production costs.
One way to design compacting machines for higher stability under load is to support the drive shaft at both ends. With this type of support, the live load is distributed practically evenly on the bearings. A major disadvantage of this support arrangement lies in the onerous assembly work that must be performed in order to clean the compacting machine.